Observation:
IT workshop tutors say that
some students sometimes think they are using the Internet for an hour for
assignment research, when what actually happens is this:
- 10 minutes spent on research - with lots printed out!
- 20 minutes on checking and sending e-mails
- 20 minutes on general sites — shopping/music/cars/soaps/phones/films
- 10 minutes on research — with more printing
Tip:
This is probably part of your working or learning style, but it is not
effective as a research strategy. You need a sense of purpose, so how
about analysing your research topic, then making a list of 4 or 5 questions
you want answers to? Keep your searching focused and ask for help if
you get stuck.
Observation:
IT workshop tutors say that some students believe everything they read
on screen.
Tip:
The web address (URL) gives clues about the information.
Observation:
IT workshop tutors say that some students give up easily, claiming
’there wasn’t
anything there’.
Tip:
There nearly always is something to be found,
but you need smart searching tactics to find it. Your aim must be to
get the most relevant pages to the top of the results list. Ask others
what works for them, and look on the Internet for a guide to using search
engines. Think about the scale of the task — one search engine
currently has 3 083 324 642 web pages to be searched.
Observation:
IT workshop tutors say that some students use
the Internet to look for images.
Tip:
Most search engines allow you the option of
searching for an image only. Take a moment to check the toolbar; you’re
sure to find features you haven’t found before - images can be useful
for key skills presentations.
Observation:
IT workshop tutors say that some students feel overwhelmed by
the amount of information.
Tip:
Information overload is a problem. Write out
a list of questions you want to find answers to, and reject information
that doesn’t help answer them. If you’re new to research,
select the best two or three sources and forget the rest. You can always
come back for more.
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Click ’next’ to look at sorting your information.
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